Locking device



J. B. OCONNOR LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 18,

J. B. O CONNOR LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented New. I, IQZQ.

TATS

JOHN B. OCONNOR, F AURORA. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR '10 LYON METALLIC MANIL FACRING COMPANY. OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

LOCKING DEVICE.

Application filed November 21, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. OGONNOR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Looking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to locking mechanisms, especially for doors for wardrobes, lockers and the like. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device in which the door securing element (in the illustrated case a liftable latch or locking bar) is controlled by a rotatable door knob or handle which is mounted upon a non-rotatable, key slotted element normally locked to it by pin tumblers or bar tumblers which are brought into releasing positionby the mere insertion of the key into said non-rotatable element. One result of this construction is that the key is non-rotatable under all circumstances and performs no function in liftin the latch. It merely releases the door nob for operation. As an .ancillary object it is my purpose to provide a construction in which this non-rotatable element is rigidly fastened to the door and forms a plug or key slotted cylinder which fits within the door knob and forms a support for it. Another object is to provide a self-acting latch or locking bar which when once lifted will remain so until the door is closed and will retain the key in the lock until after the door is closed. Another object is to provide a look so con structed that the key, although occupying the same position as when first inserted, cannot be withdrawn until either the door is pushed shut or a detent is repressed. Still another object is to provide a structure combining in itself the advantageous characteristics that the key is coaxial with the knob, operates upon the cam principle for alignin the tumblers; is frictionally held in the loc after it is once/inserted: is non-withdrawable from the lock until the handle has been rotated to locking osition; and has tumblers which slide radial y in distinction to a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the knob. These characteristics are not all new in themselves but are new in this combination and produce a hi hly advantageous and at the same time simp e construction.

I accomplish my objects by the mecha- Serial No. 516,568.

nism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which Figure 1 is an assembly view showing the locking device mounted upon the door and also showing a fragment of the door frame. The door and door frame are shown turned somewhat out of their normal relative positions to better reveal the construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1, the plane of section passing through the axis of the cylinder of the lock. I

Figure 3 is a perspective distributive view showing various elements of the lock and illustrating their cooperative relationship.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 44, Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is an axial section of a bar tumbler lock in distinction to the pin tumbler type shown in the previous fi ures. The plane of section is indicated by the line 5-5' Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66, Figure 5.

Like numerals denote like partsthroughout the several views.

The door 1 is of sheet metal and h a marginal flange 2, a portion of which is provided with an integral, inturned lip 3. This lip lies parallel to the door front and hence there is formed a channel which serves as a guide for the vertically arranged, vertically slidable locking bar 5. Said bar has vertical slots? for receiving headed pins 8 by which it is held in place. The bar has latch hooks 10 adapted to descend into loops or eyes 12 in the door frame 14 shown, for example, at

the right of Figure 1. In this figure the door and door frame are portrayed from different view points to illustrate the respective constructions. The inner corner of the door has apertures 15 opposite to the loops jecting end of a rocker arm 20. Said arm projects from and is here she inte :1

with a rocker plate 21 which, when rocked about its axis raises and lowers the bar. Said plate lies adjacent to the inner surface of the door, and has apertures 23 to accommodate studs 24 projecting from the inner end of the door handle 25. These parts are shown distributed in Figure 3. The door front 1 has three arcuate slots 28, for accommodating said studs and permitting a limited rotary movement of the door handle. The studs are shouldered to space the plate 21 from the inner end of the handle and thus prevent the parts from binding on the door when the nuts 27 are screwed onto the inner studs inside of the plate.

According to my invention the handle forms the casing or outer member of a tumbler lock. The lock may be of either the pin tumbler type shown in Figures 1 to 4 or the bar tumbler type shown in Figures 5 and 6. In the pin tumbler type the handle has a'center bore 30 which makes" a turning fit with the cylinder 31, sometimes referred to as the plug. In the present case a threaded stud 32 is formed at the inner end of the cylinder, and this projects through an aperture 33 formed in the door front 1. The cylinder is rigidly held by applying the nuts 35 shown inFigures 1 and 2. en assembled the cylinder 31 instead of being rotatable, as in the caseof ordinary locks, is thus rigidly fastened to the door and is non-rotatable. It may conveniently form the axle or bearing for the handle. Various supplemental means for preventing rotation of the cylinder may be provided, but in the present case I have shown a dowel pin 38 projecting from the inner end of the cylinder and adapted to extend into a notch 39 formed in the door, as best illustrated in Figure 3. An annular shoulder 40 formed near the outer end of the cylinder cooperates with the plate 21 to prevent the handle from slipping ofi.

Pin and bar tumbler locks are well known, and hence it will be sufficient for the present purpose to say that in the pin tumbler type (Figures 1 to 4) the pins are slidabe in slots 48 extending radially in the cylinder and in the handle. They are backed up by springs50 in the handle. The cylinder has the usual key slot 51 extending longitudinally in it for receiving the key The parts areso constructed and arranged that when the handle is rotated to locking position, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the slots in the handle will register with the slots in the cylinder and the springs will force the pins to such position that they will lie partially in the handle and Errtially in the nonrotatable cylinder.

ence the handle will be prevented from rotating and will hold the locking bar in locked position. When the key is inserted in the key slot it raises the pins sufficiently so that one section of each pin lies wholly within the handle and the other section wholly within the cylinder, thus releasing the handle and permittin it to be rotated.

The bar tumbler type s own in Figures 5 and 6 is similar to the other except that bars are substituted for the pins 45. Said bars are radially slidable in the cylinder and project into channels 61 formed on oppositc sides of the cylinder. These bars each have an internal slot 62 for receiving the key. The bars do not exceed the diameter of the cylinder, and the parts are so proportioned that when the key is inserted into the key slot of the cylinder it will penetrate the slots 22 in the bars and will retract the bars from the channels 61, thus releasing the handle.

In operation, when the key is absent the pins or bars will lie partially in the cylinder and partially in the handle, and as the cylin der is rigidly fastened to the door, the handle will, of course, be prevented from rotating. In other words, the handle will be locked and hence the rocker plate 21 and arm 20 will be locked and will hold the locking bar 5 down with its hooks 10 engaged by the loops or eyes 12 on the door frame. The parts will at this time occupy the position shown in Figure 2. When it is desired to unlock the door, all that is necessary is to insert the key (without rotating it) whereupon the handle is released and becomes rotatable ("within a limited arc) to rock the plate 21 and arm 20 and raise the locking bar to unlocked position shown in Figure 1.

It will be observed that in my construction it is never necessary to rotate the key.

Consequently not only is the locking and unlocking operation simplified, but the power necessary to operate the device is derived from the handle, which is large enough to be firmly grasped by the operator, and is not derived from the key, which is preferably small, to permit it to be readily carried in the ocket. Furthermore, the device has severa structural advantages, among them being the fact that the cylinder not only forms a part of the locking device, but also forms a support for the handle. Also the handle serves the dual function of constituting a part of the locking device and also the door pull.

My locking device is so constructed that the key, although occupying the same position as when first inserted, cannot be withdrawn until either the door is pushed shut or the o erator pushes back (represses) a detent. 11 pin tumbler and bar tumbler locks the key cannot be withdrawn until the cylinder and its casing occupy normal locking position relatively to each other. In my device I have provided a positive connection between the rotatable element (the door handle 25 which constitutes the cylinder till intranet casing) and the locking bar 5 and have provided a detent for automatically holding the locking bar in non-acting position. The detent will hold the locking bar in this non-acting position until said detent is repressed, either by the-action of the door frame as the dopr moves shut, or by the direct action of the operator. In other words the detent 70 tends to hold the locking bar in non-acting (unlocked) position, which holds the handle 25 in unlocked position, preventing the key from being withdrawn. Said detent 70 is shown in perspective in the lower portion of Figure 1 and consists, according to the present design, of a short strip of metal loosely pivoted at its upper end toa stationary pin 71 fastened to the flange 2 of the door. It has a lug 74 near the lower end adapted to swing to a point beneath the looking bar, to hold it raised. A spring 75 is carried by the detent and engages the door front in such manner as to constantly urge the detent to the acting position shown ,in Figure 1. When the detent is in acting position one corner of it (lower right of Figure 1) projects beyond the door flange, the result being that as the door closes, the detent strikes a portion 77 of the door frame and is thus pushed back to nonacting position shown in Figure 2. When the locking bar is down, the lower end of it passes behind the lug 74 and thus holds it in nonacting position. As soon as the bar is raised sufficiently to clear the lug, the spring 7 5 moves the lug under the bar, which is thereafter prevented from descending until the detent is again moved to nonacting position. Thus, when the door moves shut the detent strikes the flange 77 of the door frame and is. pushed back to nonacting position. The weight of the locking bar then causes it to drop to locking position and on account of the positive connection between the locking bar and the door handle-the latter is rotated to locking position and releases the key. it will be evident that when the operator inserts the key, rotates the handle to raise the locking bar, and opens the door, the lock and bar will be automatically held elevated in nonacting position so long; as the door remains open, but all that is? necessary to restore the parts to locking position is to close the door, whereupon the detent is pushed back automatically to nonacting position, the locking bar drops to locking position and the key may be withdrawn. The detent and its associated elements form the subject of a separate application filed by me June 6th, 1922, Serial No. 527,355.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A look having a handle for operatingthe locking element, a cylinder enclosed within the handle, and key operated tumblers for key to shift the tumblers to thereby release the handle.

3. A look for doors and the like, said lock having a rotatable handle, a locking element operated by said handle, the handle having a center bore, a cylinder, means for rigidl fastening the cylinder to the door, the cy inder fitting into the bore of the handle and forming a support for the handle, the cylinder having a key slot extending longitudinally in it, and tumbler slots extending transversely in it, and tumblers mounted in the cylinder and adapted to engage the handle for preventing its rotation.

4. A lock for doors and the like having a cylinder rigidly fastened to the door, a locking element, a handle for operating said locking element, said handle having-a center bore for receiving the cylinder to be supported by it, means at the outer end of the cylinder for preventing the handle fromslipping ofi of it, tumblers mounted in the cylinder and adapted to engage the handle and prevent it from rotating, the cylinder having a lon itudinal slot for the reception of a key or moving the tumblers to non-acting position when the key is inserted,

5. A look for doors and the like having a cylinder rigidly fastened to the door, a handle having a center bore adapted to permit the handle to fit over the: cylinder to be rotatably supported by it, the cylinder having a longitudinal key slot, tumblers in the cylinder for normally engaging the handle to prevent it from rotating, said tumblers being adapted to be operated by the insertion of the key into the cylinder, the cylinder being adapted to penetrate the door and having fastening means on the inside of the door for rigidly fastening it to the door, a plate adapted to lie -adjacentto the inner surface of the door, said plate having a central aper ture for avoiding said fastening means. said plate being fastened to the handle, and a locking element adapted to be operated by said. plate.

6. A door lock having a latch, a cylinder lock for controlling it, said lock comprising tumblers and two concentric elements, one of which is a rotatable handle for controlling the latch and the second element is rigidly secured to the door' and forms a bearing for the handle, the rigid element are containing the key slot whereby the mere insertion of the key aligns the tumblers to release the handle for operation and the key remains non-rotatable at all times when in the lock.

7. A look having a locking element, a detent for holding it in unlocked position, a rotatable handle positively connected to the locking element, a non-rotatable cylinder enclosed within the nandle, and key operated tumblers for normally preventing the rotary movement of the handle, the cylinder and handle being adapted to prevent the withdrawal of the key except when occupying normal locked relation, whereby so long as the detent remains in acting position and holds the locking element in unlocked position and thus causes the handle to be held in unlocked position the key will be retained within the lock.

8. Alock havinga locking bar arranged to slide vertically downward to lock and vertically upward to unlock, said bar being biased toward locking position, a detent for holding the locking bar up in unlocked po, sition, a rotatable handle positively connected to the locking bar, a non-rotatable cylinder for supporting the handle, and keyoperated tumblers for normally preventing the rotary movement of the handle, the cylinder and handle being adapted to prevent the Withdrawal of the key except when oocupying normal locked'relation.

9. A look having a locking bar arranged to slide vertically downward to lock and vertically upward to unlock, a detent for holding the locking bar up in unlocked position, a rotatable handle positively connected to the locking bar, a non-rotatable cylinder for supporting the handle, and key-operated tumblers for normally preventing the rotary movement of the handle, the cylinder and handle being adapted to prevent the withdrawal of the key except when occupying normal locked relation, the detent being biased toward acting position and adapted to hold the locking bar elevated as soon as it has risen to unlocked position and said detent being manually repressible for releasing the ba 10. A lock having a rotatable handle for operating the door securin element, a cylinder enclosed within the liandle, and key operated tumblers for normally preventing the rotation of the handle, the cylinder being non-rotatable and having a slot for receiving the key whereby the key when in serted is non-rotatable and the-mere insertion of the key releases the handle for operation.

11. In a door locking device, a self-aeting latch on-the door for holding it closed,

a. detent for holding the latch in non-acting position, said detent projecting from the door whereby as the door closes the detent will contact. the door frame and be repulsed by it to release the latch, a rotatable door handle positively connected to the latch, whereby said handle is capable of moving the latch to non-acting position and the latch is capable of holding the handle out of normal (locked) position, a stationary element on the door cooperating with the handle, said handle and said stationary element together constituting two parts of a cylinder lock, one of said two parts having a key slot and locking tumblers adapted to retain the key in the look when the handle is out of normal position.

12. In a door locking device, a self-act.- ing latch on the door for holding it closed, a detent for holding the latch in non-acting position, said detent projecting from the door whereby as the door closes the detent will contact the door frame and be repulsed by it to release the latch, a rotatable door handle positively connected to the latch, whereby said handle is cap-able of moving the latch to non-acting position and the latch is capable of holding the handle out of normal (locked) position, a key slotted cylinder rigidly fastened on the door for sup: porting the handle, the handle being bored to fit over it, and the handle and cylinder forming two cooperating parts of a cylinder lock, and key-operated tumblers for locking the parts together, said tumblers being adapted to positively engage the key to retain it in the look when the handle is angularly displaced from normal position.

13. In a door locking device. a vertically movable, gravity-operated locking bar, having a hook for making positive engagement with the door frame, a detent for holding the latch elevated in non-acting position, said detent projecting from the door for the purpose of being tripped by the door frame when the door closes and permitting the latch bar to drop. a rotatable door handle positively connected to the latch whereby the handle is capable of lifting the latch and the latch is capable of holding the handle out of normal angular position, a key slotted element rigidly fastened to the door and cooperating with the door handle to form a cylinder lock, and key-operated tumblers for locking the parts together, the lock being of the type in which the key is retained in the lock so long as the rotatable element thereof is out of normal angular position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN B. OCONNOR 

